How to do Christmas at Work? Do you hear what I hear?

I’ve asked myself this question often, “How do I do Christmas at work, and BE like Jesus?”

Amidst the beauty and the glory of the Christmas season comes pain. In the middle of Christmas parties, we make small talk about what holiday plans. Christmas cards arrive, and we read the highlights of the glorious events of everyone’s past year. Decorations are put up displaying splendor. Honestly, it tends to seem like something out a Rockwell painting. None of these things are bad, honestly, I do them all as well.

But the reality is, well, not this. The reality is that many people don’t have Christmas plans. Many people have hard family situations that make them want to hide at home instead of having to endure what “might” happen at their family Christmas. Many people, while writing their Christmas letter, search hard to find ways to stay positive and leave out the hard things – drug abuse, broken relationships, cancer, affairs, etc.

Often, I write about how to be Christian at work. Today my heart says this in a more real way. This week has been hard for me. Really hard. My heart if broken on many levels because of family relationships. And my precious mom, who has been my best friend in life, well, her brain cancer is back. And on and on.

But yesterday, I walked into my office. And my co-workers, well, they held me in the palm of their hand. They let me cry and they made me laugh. They didn’t make me feel like I had to sit at my desk and pretend it was all ok, and that everything was perfect. The said I’m sorry, and that sucks, and I’m here for you friend. They came to my door, instead of going to one another and asking. And they sat, and looked me in the eyes and listened. And they asked me how they could pray for me.

I often think we over complicate this thing called life. What they did for me wasn’t big, but it was. They listened and they cared. And isn’t that what we read in the bible?

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. James 1:19-20

As we draw closer to Christmas, who at your work needs you to listen and to care? If Jesus is the reason for the season, then what if we model His example? What if instead of reading Christmas letter after Christmas letter and thinking that we are the only family that struggles, what if we get real, and allow others to get real with us. What if we acknowledge that the pain in life doesn’t go away during Christmas season, and by pretending everything is perfect, we likely are causing someone else to feel even worse about their situation. Listen. Listen to their eyes, listen to the fake smile, and then listen to their story.

As you finish out this week, please, be Jesus to someone at work. Listen, really listen. It’s such a small thing, but it may make an impact on them in ways that your nativity scene never would. Don’t just tell them “about” Jesus; BE Jesus.

The Christmas Song – Do you hear what I hear seems so fitting to close today. May it echo in your head as you interact in the office today.

“Do You Hear What I Hear”

Said the night wind to the little lamb
Do you see what I see
Way up in the sky little lamb
Do you see what I see
A star, a star
Dancing in the night
With a tail as big as a kite
With a tail as big as a kite

Said the little lamb to the shepherd boy
Do you hear what I hear
(do you hear what I hear)
Ringing through the sky shepherd boy
Do you hear what I hear
(do hear what I hear)
A song, a song
High above the trees
With a voice as big as the sea
With a voice as big as the sea

Said the shepherd boy to the mighty king
Do you know what I know
(do you know what I know)

In your palace warm mighty king
Do you know what I know
(do you know what I know)
A child, a child
Shivers in the cold
Let us bring him silver and gold
Let us bring him silver and gold

Said the king to the people everywhere
Listen to what I say
( Listen to what I say)
Pray for peace people everywhere
Listen to what I say
(listen to what I say)
The child, the child
Sleeping in the night
He will bring us goodness and light
He will bring us goodness and light